Henry David Thoreau

(1817-1862)

Thoreau was an essayist, poet and a philosopher.

His book "Walden" is a set of 18 essays describing his experience with basic, Transcendentalist living.

The essay for which Thoreau is best known is "Civil Disobedience." He wrote it after being jailed for a night.

An abolitionist, Thoreau aided slaves in the Underground Railroad and wrote a harsh denouncement of slavery with a lecture called "Slavery in Massachusetts."

Pub Date: 01/10/99